US President Donald Trump's administration has announced that Harvard University will no longer be able to admit international students, and current foreign students at the institution have been ordered to transfer.
This stringent measure comes after funding cuts and an ongoing standoff between the Trump administration and Harvard. The US Department of Homeland Security revoked Harvard's Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification on Thursday (May 22) local time. This means that if existing international students do not transfer to another university, they will lose their legal status to remain in the United States.
The Trump administration stated that this decision follows repeated requests for Harvard's records as part of a Homeland Security investigation into the university's admission process, curriculum, and hiring policies. Harvard consistently rejected these requests, deeming them legally baseless and contrary to its autonomy.
Harvard currently hosts approximately 6,800 international students, making up about 27% of its total student body. Analysts believe this decision will have a significant impact not only on the students' personal lives but also on Harvard's academic environment and global reputation.
Harvard has condemned the Trump administration's decision as "retaliatory" and "unlawful," stating that the university is taking swift action to support its students. However, analysts suggest this move will be remembered as a major blow to US higher education and its diverse academic policies.
